Better As a Memory
by Skiescryblood
Summary: Its been 10 years since Haymitch Abernathy won his Hunger Games, and he's still struggling to adjust to his life as a Victor. A new Escort from the Capital catches his eye, and their story unfolds. Hayffie fic, rating for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

Author note: This is my first fanfic in 8 years, so please be kind. This is a Hayffie fic, that starts out 15 years earlier than the books. I took some liberties with filling in information, please review if there's something that really bugs you. I just loved Haymitch since the first book, and thought there had to be so much more to him than Collins ever let us see. Same goes to Effie, so I hope you guys feel this is accurate to their characters.

Chapter One -

The trees blowing in the window shifted enough to send a bright beam of light straight into his partially opened eyes. Groaning, Haymitch slowly came to. His whole room was filled with late afternoon sun, and he had a pounding headache. The scraggly boy rolled over onto his back, bloodshot eyes staring blindly at his ceiling. It had been 10 years since he'd won the Hunger Games, and he still hadn't adjusted. Swinging his gangly legs over the edge of his bed, he padded across his clothes-strewn floor to the window and pulled the curtains shut. Today was the annual reaping, and all he really wanted was to crawl back into bed for days. Pounding on the door downstairs interrupted this train of thought. _Damn that Harley, he never leaves me alone_ Haymitch angrily thought, and threw on some pants to go answer the door.

The door opened itself as Haymitch reached the bottom stair, reaching an arm up to shield his eyes from the bright light escaping the edges of his guest. A large, dark, figure stepped through the door and marched into the kitchen, carrying a tray of food containers.

"So how you feeling there, Haym? You've helped yourself to that bottle of white I left here yesterday I reckon" the man said with a smirk, setting the tray down and unpacking the food. Looked like some soup, a big loaf of bread, and some sort of greens. Haymitch slumped down into one of the kitchen chairs and dug a spoon right into the soup. Harley was the only other victor that District 12 had ever had, and luckily he felt some sort of obligation to watch over Haymitch. Both of them had lost everyone they'd ever loved after they'd won the Games, so Harley knew just how bad Haymitch was hurting.

After winning 10 years ago, the capital had killed his family, friends, and love. The 2 men spent their days in their huge houses in victor village, trying to drown out their sorrows and nightmares. Harley was a big drinker, but as he was also a big man, it didn't hit him too hard. Haymitch was quickly picking up the habit, and foolishly tried to keep up with the bigger man's pace. This past month had been especially taxing. It was the anniversary of his loved ones' execution, and when Harley had shown up that night carrying a bottle of white liquor, Haymitch had decided to join him.

The style team from the capital showed up shortly after the men had finished eating, and wasted no time in scraping them into something acceptable for the television. As the team chatted about the usual superficial nonsense, Haymitch picked up that there was apparently a new district escort.

"I can't believe they picked _that,_ when I saw the others who were applying for the position. But then again, this _is_ district 12" The green haired stylist said, setting the other two into fits of laughter. Haymitch visibly rolled his eyes and tried to think of anything aside from what they were doing.

Hours later, Haymitch and Harley stood in the front hall of the large Justice Building, while capital people and peace keepers ran scrambling around them, getting everything set for the reaping. Harley had helped himself to many of the drinks at the concessions booth, but Haymitch had held back. He was only just beginning to drink, and he still wasn't the best at holding it in, he didn't need to do something foolish on television because of it. Trying to get out of the line of fire of Harley's whiskey breath, Haymitch wandered over to the table with cakes and breads for the crew. As he reached for some sort of glazed bun, he bumped hands with a perfectly manicured pale hand that was going for the same one.

"Oops, sorry, you can have it" The high nervous voice said.

"Oh no, go for it" Haymitch said without looking up, and grabbed the one next to it. Biting into the bun, he finally glanced at the girl. She was already staring at him, and her eyes immediately darted away, her cheeks glowing pink under the thick layer of makeup. Haymitch grinned to himself and leaned against the table. "So, are you one of the stylists here to make us pretty for the slaughter?" He teased, knowing she could only belong to the capital. The girl was picking at the bun, still not having taken a bite of it. Haymitch watched her, noting the length of her nails, and the tiny number 12 printed all over them. The girls around district 12 definitely would never have hands like this.

"Actually, I'm the new escort" she said in her best attempt at confidence, but her shy glance through her thick pink curls gave her away. "Effie Trinket" she added, sticking her hand out in greeting.

"Haymitch Abernathy" He took her hand, giving it a light squeeze. Knowing he was making her nervous, he continued staring at her as he finished the sweet roll.

"Well, Mr. Abernathy, I have to get ready to start the drawing. See you in a little while I suppose" Effie straightened out her dress, and moved one meticulous curl over slightly, and marched confidently off in the wrong direction. A moment later, Haymitch gave her a big smirk and a nod as she headed toward the front of the Justice Building. Harley caught her just as she was about to make it through the doors, and Haymitch felt almost bad for her as she squirmed uncomfortably in the large man's presence. He was telling her some inappropriate joke, no doubt. Haymitch took his time to strut over, and wiped his sticky hand on Harley's jacket.

"Har, let the girl breathe, you know its her first reaping" He said, interrupting Harley mid-story. The large man stumbled back slightly, and let out a hearty laugh. Effie stared up Haymitch, an expression of gratitude and something else playing out on her face. Whatever she was thinking made that pink start to grow on her cheeks again, and she quickly ducked out through the doors. Haymitch couldn't help but notice how well she filled out the dress she had chosen, and felt himself actually getting excited to meet up with her after this. The introductory music started up, and he had just enough time to register that the reaping was starting before a few peacekeepers came and shuttled the two victors out onto the platform. Staring at the sea of faces, faces of his people, triggered him into the whirlwind that was the Hunger Games.

A/N: I have the second chapter ready to go, I'll probably post it in a few days if you guys like this. Let me know! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A/N: I want to thank all of you lovelies who have added this story to your favorites, alerts, and especially those who reviewed! Here is the second chapter, hope you guys enjoy

The Reaping was always an awful experience for Haymitch. This year Harley was training him to be a mentor, and now that the time had come, he felt completely unprepared. The two tributes were unremarkable, and it was hard to imagine them having a chance at winning. Both were 15, and he knew their families well. Sitting on the train to the capital, Haymitch knew he should be out with the tributes. Instead, he was sprawled across his bed, staring at the ceiling. Loud chattering from the dining box filled his room, and he dragged his body down the hall to join everyone.

The boy was eagerly telling a story, and occasionally shooting adoring looks at the girl tribute. Shanna, the girl's name is Shanna, Haymitch hastily corrected his thoughts. And the boy is named Trent. He should at least try to care. Everyone turned to welcome him as he slid into a seat near Harley, and then continued to chat. Some desserts were still spread out on the table, so Haymitch heaped some of the pudding directly in front of him onto his plate. It was going to be a long couple of weeks, he could feel it already. Nothing about him wanted to be there. He despised everything about the capital, and their horrific hunger games. Earlier while standing on the platform at the reaping, he had felt himself slipping into that catatonic state. Nothing mattered, nothing was real.

"Nice to meet you kids. If you'll excuse me, I need some fresh air" Haymitch blurted out in the middle of one of the stylists' stories, and quickly left the dining car. He felt out of control and numb at the same time. How was he going to do this on his own next year? What was the point in any of this? He turned his gray eyes out to the fields they were flying past, wondering if he jumped off how long it would take the capital to notice he'd left. As soon as the thought had time to form, he felt someone behind him and spun quickly, drawing his knife from his belt. The large, shocked green eyes of Effie stood before him, her hands up to show she was unarmed.

"Jackers, you scared me" he huffed, roughly shoving the knife back in its sheath.

"Do you always carry around that thing?" She slowly lowered her hands, her eyes indicating his belt.

Running a hand through his long dark hair, he let out a deep sigh. "I got every reason in the world to carry it, sweetheart" He thought of all the things he could say, and just let them weigh heavy on his soul. He turned back to facing the passing fields, the sun sitting low on the horizon. Watching him standing there, against the sunset, Effie felt her breath catch. He was kind of beautiful…in a dangerous, broken, dirty district way. She wanted to reach out and comfort him, but had no clue if that was at all appropriate. This thought was desperately squashed from her mind.

"Well, now that we're done with that nonsense, your presence is still required. We have the other reapings to go over, and Trent asked specifically to speak strategy with you afterward." If he had heard her, he gave no indication. She stood a moment longer, watching his broad tan face embrace the wind. "Haymitch, did you hear me? It is very important we set the tributes off on the right-"

"Oh, I heard you. Did I stutter when I said I needed some air? That's what I'm doing, or what I was trying to do before you came out here to stuff it all up with your capital crap" With a glare so cold, his lack of manners was the least of her concerns. Turning away quickly, Effie walked back into the train to get back to business. Once behind the safety of the train door, Effie leaned up against the hallway, one hand pressed firmly over her heart. It was beating so fast. How dare he act like this! The tributes needed him to set an example, to give them advice and hope…the broken look in his eyes flashed quickly through her mind. What had she gotten herself into?

The doors slid open, and a composed Haymitch strode through. He evaluated her posture, the frazzled expression and hand clutching her chest, and softened a bit.

"We better get in there before they suspect why you've really joined District twelve's team" he smirked, his right arm gesturing for her to lead the way back to the dining car. Her wide eyes scanned his quickly, searching for the true meaning of his words, and decided to ignore the implication. It was none of his business, and acknowledging the comment could just confirm it. The pair came back into the room, and it was like a brand new Haymitch.

The time passed quickly and easily, and before long it was time for the tributes to go to their rooms for the night. Haymitch felt the too familiar ache as he spotted the tributes lingering in the doorway of Shanna's room, the expression on Trent's face as brushed the hair behind her ear… this was going to be a very painful Games. Glad the day was over, he sulked into the media car to review the itinerary for the next day. Laughter was pouring out of the bar car, and Haymitch spotted a stylist perched upon Harley as he passed.

Being a victor made you one of Panem's top celebrities. Everyone knew who you were, what you were up to, and could easily find you by visiting the Victor Village in your district. For victors like Harley, there was a steady stream of female fans vying for their chance with a hero. Haymitch had his fanclub as well, though he couldn't understand why. If being selected by the capital to either die in front of the entire country or become a murderer made him appealing, he wanted no part of it. He despised everything about being a celebrity. He had always been a solitary kind of guy, wanting only to make himself comfortable and happy and leave everyone else alone. But every time he wandered into the town, there were girls throwing themselves at him. He had several regulars in the Hob who he had, on occasion, taken advantage of their offers. But it was never enough, and he hated himself afterward for doing it.

His feet had led him into the media room, where Effie was expectantly waiting for him, the itineraries spread out in front of her. She glanced up at him, evaluating his mood, and could sense he was slipping back towards downhearted. Better keep it brief and direct. She could feel him staring beyond her as she went through the plans, but plowed on through regardless. Harley had already met with her, so at least one of them was bound to show up tomorrow.

"Haymitch, do you want them to succeed?" She straightened up her stack of papers, clipping a few things together and placing them all into a folder near her briefcase. Her peripheral vision noted his eyes on her, his body stiffen in defense.

"Do you even know what you're asking me? Do I want them to succeed?" he let out a growl of a laugh. "Do I want them to succeed? Right there in that question is the problem. _They_ cannot succeed, sweetheart. Only one person is getting out of those games alive, and it ain't them. Did you see District 4's guy? Or the girl from District 1? Now those kids, those kids might be our victor. Our sweet, innocent little Shanna? She doesn't have a shot in hell, darlin. And Trent might hold his own for a while, but he's no serious contender. He is in love with that girl, and once she's gone, he's going to lose his shit. There's no succeeding in the games, and its time you got that through that pretty little head of yours" he motioned one of the avoxes to refill the glass in front of him, and turned his cold gray eyes back on her. His hand was shaking as he lifted it to his lips, draining half the glass in one sip.

Her face was on fire. What was she doing here? How dare he speak to her this way! But most importantly, how had she ever thought she could get along with him? Her foolish heart, telling her to apply for this position to get close to him…she was beginning to see this was a terrible mistake. Haymitch stared at her, waiting for her to fight back, to defend herself, and noted how flushed she was looking. Pushing back from the table, Effie struggled to maintain control as she stuffed the folder into her briefcase.

"You, Mr. Abernathy, are not at all what I was expecting" She sniffed, and tried to exit the room as fast as she could before the tears started. Jumping up, Haymitch reached out and stopped her by grabbing her shoulder, spinning her to face him in the process. One tear had slipped down her face, leaving a shiny trail down her makeup. Something in him panged, seeing this emotion he had caused. What was wrong with this girl? He had EVERY right to be mad at the capital, these stupid games, and also at her. She had chosen this path for herself, where as he was thrown into it. He would give anything to go back in the past and take it all back. Give everything to have his family and friends and life back. The quivering lip and subtle trembling of the girl in front of him made all of this hard to focus on.

"What…what were you expecting? For me to be the gracious victor, ham for the camera like Harley? Because he's not all that he seems either, you know" His tone had softened considerably, as had the grip his hand had on her shoulder. It had slipped down to her shoulder blade, betraying him as it slowly rubbed her back. Her body let out a shudder as she gasped, fighting to keep from crying hard. He had the strongest urge to pull her into him, to comfort this pain he had caused. She refused to look at him, afraid of what expression she'd find on his face. His hand burned hot through her thin dress, and the foolish part of her that had led her here was ecstatic. Haymitch Abernathy was rubbing her back, and staring intently at her. Giving over to her lesser judgment, she raised her eyes to meet his, seeing something in his eyes she had refused to let herself hope for.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks again to all of you reading this story! To the anon that asked about the rating, it will be coming up soon, so just be patient lol. Everyone else, hope you enjoy :)

Chapter 3

She turned her eyes up to Haymitch, and saw a look of compassion burning through his stoic expression. He actually looked concerned, as though he wanted to comfort her. As their eyes met, his rubbing hand stopped. A slight pressure was drawing her closer to him, and she didn't want to resist.

Someone cleared their throat in the doorway, causing both to jump in surprise. "I think I left my glasses in here, I'll just grab those quick" the girl said. It was the stylist that Haymitch had seen with Harley earlier, and she looked embarrassed as she fumbled past them, her hair in a ratty mess. Effie took this opportunity to straighten herself up, and with a quick glance up at Haymitch, marched through the doors.

Haymitch sank into the chair he had been sitting in, slowly spinning the ice in his glass. What was all of that about? One minute he was furious with her, and the next he had wanted to…what had it been he'd been planning to do exactly? Flashing through his mind, Haymitch saw Effie's graceful hand laying on her rising chest, her eyes peering at him through her hair back in the justice building, her silhouette as she marched out to the platform to draw the names for the reaping. What in the world was going on with him? He quickly finished his drink, and left to go to his room.

Sleeping on the train was easier than at home, but sleeping anywhere was a difficult task. He hoped the glass of whiskey would help him out. Tossing his clothes on the floor in a pile, Haymitch climbed into bed and lay on top of all the sheets. The train ceiling appeared to be the night sky, and it reminded him of the sky in the arena. He closed his eyes, and started his nightly ritual of trying desperately to think of anything that was not a depressing, terrifying topic. His heart offered up a pale face, with bright green eyes and a head of baby pink curls to think about. One hand idly ran up and down the thigh of the leg that was bent towards the ceiling, feeling a heat growing all on its own. Wasn't she everything he hated? Didn't she stand for all that had destroyed his world? Despite the rumor he'd heard earlier, he was doubtful it was about her. He'd barely interacted with her, and their few encounters had gone awful. Surely tonight's events had led her to dislike him, if it hadn't been official before. She was so focused on building her career as escort, this busted, outlying victor must only be in her way.

The idle hand was still roaming of its own free will, urging the heat to grow. It had been so long since he'd felt any sort of interest in anyone, but especially a girl…the memories of his first love were too painful to think about. It was one of the many keys to the floodgate, and he forced himself not to go there. The last girl he'd been with was a seam girl named Dolly that hung out in the hob. Supposedly she sold spices there with her sister, but Haymitch had received some different services from her. It was a dry, robotic exchange they'd had, which was all he'd been able to handle. Harley was always sending Dolly or someone over to look over Haymitch, and often on Friday nights when he'd already gotten the boy drunk and relaxed. About 5 years ago he'd loved this exchange; getting girls without having to do any work. Thanks to his victor status, he also had to put in very minimal effort in the bedroom, since the girls were always too eager to please him.

Heated, jagged breaths, steady, steady, stroking…. A curl in the wind, the purple silk dress against pale milky skin…his hand unconsciously guiding her closer to him…green eyes staring up into his…steady, steady, steady…Haymitch closed his eyes and rolled his head back, working until he was exhausted and satisfied. He didn't care about cleaning up, he just rolled around until he was under the covers, and fell peacefully into sleep.

In a room down the train, Effie sat at her vanity staring at her reflection. She had showered and taken all of the makeup off, and her natural state sat before her. She had always felt so plain, so basic, according to the capital's standards. Her collection of freckles across her nose and cheeks were something she felt compelled to cover, the pale pink color of her lips in desperate need of stain. Staring at herself, she couldn't help but compare her looks to the young tribute Shanna. How lucky she is, to have the dirty boys in her district love and accept her natural state. All of the girls in district 12 looked plain yet pretty, all of them with braids or natural hair…no makeup that she could see. Was this what he liked? She couldn't stand the thought of how her appearance must repulse him. Had she thought that working with District twelve would somehow excuse her from the capital's fashions? Of course not. And really now, the fashion of twelve was so tired and…she had to say it, poor looking. If she could have her way, she would organize a district wide clean up. She could see it now, the town getting power washed, the years of coal dust rinsing away to reveal shiny, lovely buildings…

Carefully folding her robe and laying it across the back of her chair, Effie strolled over to her bed and rolled the covers down. The cool, smooth fabric of the sheets felt like such a welcome hug, exactly what she needed at that moment. Her mind slipped back to the media room, inches from Haymitch's broad chest, the heat radiating off of him like a furnace…her cheeks burned at the thought. This was ridiculous; she had a job to do! She was here to make sure district twelve ran as smoothly as possible and that the tributes had their best chance at being a victor. Regardless of her motivation to take this position, she needed to stay focused on her tasks, not her…desires. Effie turned on her side and curled up, trying to ignore the aching burn developing in her. One hand under her silky pillow, the other traced her own curves, scrutinizing them as always. The tracing switched to stroking, and she quickly clamped her hand still between her legs. That was enough of that. Definitely not appropriate for a girl who was focused on her career. Determined to wake up clear headed and motivated, Effie willed herself to clear her mind and fell easily to sleep.

Bright and early, Effie woke renewed and ready for the day. The train would be arriving in the capital in just a few hours, and she had a million things to oversee. Dressed and ready, Effie stepped out of her room. The door to Haymitch's room was still shut, which was no surprise. She wouldn't doubt if he didn't get up until lunch time. She made her way down the train towards the dining car, peering in each room as she passed to assess who else was up and was what going on around her. Reaching the big mahogany table, she had the realization she was the first to be up, aside from the workers who had already prepared a huge breakfast spread. This suited her just fine, since she found the morning stillness most inspiring.

As if they were still at home in the Victor Village, Haymitch was startled awake by Harley barging into his room. The room filled with Harley's familiar scent of cigarettes and leather. It took Haymitch a moment to register that he was on the train, and not in his bedroom.

"Morning sunshine" Harley beamed, amused about something only he knew. Haymitch grumbled a greeting and tried to roll to his other side, where another face stared down at him. The big green eyes that had been in his dream stared at him, cheeks burning pink already. Bolting up to a sitting position, Haymitch scrambled to grab the blankets.

"What the hell are both of you doing in here?" He yelled, glaring at Harley to fill him in. Harley just laughed to himself.

"I've been trying to get you up the past 2 hours, and you just kept shrugging me off. I thought seeing this little painted lady first thing would wake you right up, and man was I right!" Continuing to chuckle to himself, Harley walked out of the room.

"Haymitch, we have a really busy day today, as you should be well aware of. We will be pulling into station in just over an hour; I really need you to be dressed and ready to start things up." Her discomfort was more than evident, leading Haymitch to feel that she was nervous about being in his room. Leaning back against the headboard coolly, he lay his hands behind his head and grinned at her. She stood impatient, trying hard to keep their eyes locked. His tan, bare chest tempted her eyes to wander, and she turned her back to him to pace towards the window. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that he hadn't moved at all, his gray eyes evaluating her from his spot.

"What's the matter sweetheart? Don't tell me I'm the first guy you've seen in bed in the morning"

Effie stormed over and threw the covers back. Leaning her face inches away from him, she growled "Get, up, NOW Abernathy! I don't have time for your little act" His eyes were huge with surprise, the smile momentarily wiped clean. He felt a slight urge to pull her down onto him, and work with her anger. A firm grip on his arm wiped that clean as well. "You may not care about these kids, but I'm going to make sure you at least show up to their events and pretend that you care" The small hand was tugging on him, demanding he get up. Without thinking, he swiped her away roughly, swinging his legs over the bed and stood up. She looked startled only a moment, and then straightened herself back up. "Good, now take a fast shower. Your stylists have already set out your suit for today" She gestured toward a gray and navy suit hanging by his desk. Before she had a chance to leave, Haymitch kicked off his boxers, grinned at her, and marched into the bathroom.

Effie stared incredulously at the spot he had just occupied, the sly grin burned into her retina. What an arrogant brat! He was obviously playing a game with her. Good thing she had resolved to focus on her job. Determined to spend all her energy on the tributes, Effie stormed out of his room.

Haymitch felt the hot water pour over him in a comforting wave. He knew he really shouldn't pick on Effie as much as he had been, but he just couldn't help it. There was something about her that made him have to reach out to her, and the easiest way was making her uncomfortable. He could just tell she liked him, whether she would admit it or not. The gossip he'd overheard yesterday from the stylists helped prove his point. Rumor had it she had fallen in love with a certain victor after seeing him win, and had been obsessed ever since. They never said her name, but he had a huge hunch it had to be her. Honestly, he was flattered. She wasn't just throwing herself at him like most of his fans; she had come up with a plan to get to know him and let him know her at the same time. It was actually a turn on. But here he was, being a big jerk. What had her face looked like as he walked in here? Shock? Anger? He could only hope she would still want to play his games after this. Maybe a few less games from now on.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello lovelies! Thanks to everyone reading this, & much love to those of you who have reviewed & added this your alerts. Really motivates me to update faster. Hope you enjoy! :D

Chapter 4

The train pulled into the capital, and the crowds were already swarming. Haymitch was always surprised by the tributes interest and excitement of being here. When he had been in their place, he had decided the capital was a terrible place long before he could see it through the windows. He stood behind them, completely tuned out to the cameras and millions of people pointing at them. Most of them were there for the tributes anyway, but there had been a few stories run on his first year as mentor, so he knew they'd be watching him as well. A closed mouth smile, slight wave, and he ushered the tributes into the car that would be taking them to the training center. A car behind them was waiting for Harley and Haymitch, and they all headed through the crowd and into the capital.

Passing the millions of faces, and soon buildings and crowded streets, Haymitch found himself reflecting on Effie's complete indifference to him. She had busied herself the moment he came out to join the group, and hadn't so much as sniffed in his direction. He supposed he deserved that. A tall tower was rising in front of them in the spot the old training center had been. The car in front Effie & the tributes turned left, while Haymitch's car continued straight.

"What happened to the training center? Wasn't it right here?" Haymitch scanned the buildings around them, sure he recognized the statues and other buildings from the last 9 years he'd been here.

"They built a huge new complex. The center is down underground, the ballroom and conference rooms are on the floor with the lobby, and then there is a floor for each of the districts. I hear they're top of the line, and we get the penthouse" Harley beamed, probably thinking of breaking in the brand new rooms. Haymitch stared up at the top floor, miles above the ground. He'd never been in a building this tall, and the thought terrified and thrilled him.

After setting their suitcases down, Harley and Haymitch got a brief tour of the new Tribute towers. The place was styled in the latest Capital fashions, yet both men found the place appealing. There was one whole wing for the stylists, one wing for the tributes and their mentors, and the living spaces in between. A huge dining room was the focal point when first stepping out of the elevator, followed by a giant open living area. Several seating arrangements were set up, with one big projector pointed at a big stone wall. While Harley was exploring the channels, Haymitch wandered down the hallway with their rooms. He had his own room on the end, a nice corner one next to the rooftop patio. The room across the hall had a several pink suitcases set at the end of the bed. Effie's stuff, no doubt. This could be interesting.

Arriving at the ceremony, Haymitch and Harley had time to wander and chat with the fellow victors. Chaffe, a victor from District 11, was one of Haymitch's only real friends. The two spent the night drinking, eating, and trash talking all of the people from the capital. When it came time to watch the procession, the two headed to their seats in the victor box. Harley was off flirting with a female victor from district four, leaving an empty seat on one side of Haymitch. An odd feeling filled his stomach, thinking of how nice it would be to have a certain girl beside him in the dark box cheering on the tributes. Of course, he knew this was impossible, seeing as she was down in the entrance working with the tributes and their stylists.

The ceremony went as expected, and Haymitch was ready to return to the district 12 penthouse. There was a huge crowd outside the tribute tower, but the cars were able to make their way into the underground parking structure. Effie effectively ignored Haymitch through dinner, and through the replay of the night. Haymitch sat himself moodily at the end of the couch, accepting the constant refills of the drink in his hand the avoxes were supplying. Harley was actually working with the tributes, explaining what they were to expect the next few days, recanting stories of his favorite years. Haymitch wondered if he'd ever be able to joke around about the games this way.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Lying awake in bed, Haymitch could hear the crowds outside partying in the streets. It was just disgusting how much the capital loved these games. Grabbing a pack of cloves from his coat, he wandered out of his room and onto the porch. The view of the city lights was amazing, he had to admit. He was just searching the sky for signs of stars when he heard the door close behind him. A side eye glance let him see her wander to the railing, failing to look around her. She hadn't noticed him sitting on his side way in the corner. He took a long drag on his cigarette before alerting her to his presence, watching her curls blow in the hot summer breeze.

"Couldn't sleep through all the noise either?" His voice came out low and husky, rough from the alcohol and smoking all night. If she was startled, she didn't show it.

"Oh, Haymitch, hello there. Yes and no. I am still too wound up from all the excitement of the day. Wasn't the ceremony just brilliant? That stylist from five sure was bold, don't you think?" She had a falsely pleasant smile on, her hands tightening the belt on her robe. She remained standing sideways a moment, as if expecting him to come over to the railing with her. He debated it, and decided not to let her know how much the height scared him.

"Why does everyone in the capital love the games so much? I mean, listen to all of them down there. Its…you know what, no, don't tell me. Why don't you come over here a moment, sit and chat with me" He patted the spot next to him on the bench, blowing out a long line of smoke. Effie crinkled her nose and made an extinguishing motion with her hands. Haymitch stared at her a moment, then squashed the clove out on the ashtray next to him, patting the spot next to him once more. Glancing out over the railing, she reluctantly took the seat next to him. Her heart was pounding, and she hoped he wouldn't be able to hear it.

"I'm still upset with you about this morning, you know. You were very rude"

"Yeah, about that…you didn't catch me at my best moment. I don't handle surprises well" A bitter laugh escaped his lips, and he leaned back on the bench, an arm casually laying behind her shoulders.

"It was Harley's idea. He has this crazy idea that we…um…he just thought it would really shock you awake" Effie's cheeks were burning, and she was so thankful there were no lights on the porch aside from the lights of the surrounding buildings and streets below. She had been replaying the morning in her head all day. The peaceful expression on Haymitch's face as he slept, his long hair fanned around his head on the pillow, his tan arms, shoulders, chest, and stomach exposed. As Harley had pushed her into the room, she couldn't help but notice a raised area under the covers…she wasn't so innocent as to be unaware of what happened to men in the mornings. She knew this was what Haymitch had been alluding to with his question. Truth was, he was the first guy she'd ever seen in bed. Ever since she'd watched him win the games, she hadn't been able to pay attention to any other guys. She'd had a few boyfriends, but those relationships were basic and doomed by her insatiable attraction to the dirty, broken victor from district 12. Somehow here she sat, by his side, on the rooftop porch of the tribute towers. She couldn't help but feel like his antics were his way of bringing her to him.

"He thought we were what?" Even in the dark, she could see his huge smirk. She slapped his chest playfully, and leaned her head on his shoulder. He took in a quick breath, clearly surprised, but wasted no time in wrapping his arm around her. He let out a long sigh, and both of them let their bodies relax. Effie sat there with her eyes wide open in disbelief. She couldn't believe how bold she'd been, but she was glad she'd done it. He hadn't pushed her away or made fun of her, and had instead drawn her to him. So she had been right about what she felt last night.

Haymitch stared up at the starless sky, Effie's weight and warmth a soothing surprise. Clearly, she wasn't too mad at him if she had curled up against him. Moving only his eyes so as not to alert her, he peeked down at her. Her legs were crossed politely, her knobby knee pointing in towards him. The split in her robe was off-center, exposing almost all of her milky thigh. He gulped down the saliva that had formed suddenly in his mouth. One of her arms was crossed tightly across her body clutching her robe, but the other arm lay resting on his leg. He could feel a heat spreading and himself growing, and he just hoped she wouldn't mind. As if reading his mind, she started lazily tracing her fingers around his knee. His body let out another sigh, and she turned those big green eyes up to him. He stared into them a moment, trying to read her thoughts. Taking her chin gently in his hand, he tipped her chin up towards him, his thumb running over her lips. She could see his eyes moving between her eyes and her lips, and she closed the gap between them, pressing her lips to his.

He pulled back a little just to look at her. Her eyes were closed, her lips partially open, a collection of freckles sweeping across her sweet little face turned up to him. He let his mouth crack into a wide, true smile, memorizing this moment. She was so beautiful under all that makeup, he would never understand why these capital girls painted themselves up so much. Taking her shoulders in his hands, he turned her whole body towards him. Her eyes popped open, glanced down at her robe already splitting open, and pulled her leg up onto the bench to allow her to sit sideways. Haymitch shamelessly looked down, and was disappointed to find she was wearing some little polka dot shorts as pajamas, not a nightgown. He grew harder at the material stretching tight against her, and felt a strong urge to touch all of her at once. She smiled shyly up at him, not sure about what he was thinking, and came up to his mouth once again. Setting her arms on his shoulders, Haymitch guided her to a kneeling position. Effie could feel him trying to set her on his lap, and let a little giggle burst out. His eyes popped open, and looked at her confused. Sitting back on her feet, she rubbed at her lips that felt numb.

"I think we should probably go inside" She said, clearing her throat and wrapping her robe back around her. Haymitch sat there a moment, trying to read into her statement.

"Yeah, um, that works" His eyes darted between hers, still unsure of what she meant. "Its getting kind of windy out here anyway" Once standing, he lifted her to her feet, one hand resting on her lower back. In her bare feet, she stared up at how he towered over her. This was the first time she was standing next to him without being in her platform heels, and it made him look like a giant. He was staring down at her hungrily, and she had to force herself to walk forward to the porch doors. Haymitch held the door for her, and then lingered in her doorway as she fumbled for the key she'd attached to a long chain around her neck. "So, are we going in your room or you wanna come see mine? I have a pretty nice view in there, different from the rooftop" He tried to keep his voice neutral, staring at her standing there before him in the darkness. Images of Effie were zooming through his mind, and he couldn't stand this moment of indecision. He wanted her now. Effie finally got her door open, and stood in the doorway a minute. She wanted so badly to find out just what was going through his mind, what those lustful stares would lead to. She had thought about this moment for so long, and now that it was actually happening, it didn't feel real. She stared up at him, one hand reaching up behind his neck. Bouncing to her tiptoes, she gave him a long, hard kiss. His arms slid down her back, one arm circling her waist, the other gripping her robe just above her tailbone. He let out a grunt when she pulled her face back, and her heart just about burst thinking how frustrated he sounded.

"As much as I'd love to see your room tonight…I think we should just call it a night" She finished cautiously, her hands pushing him away gently. He glared down at her a moment, not releasing his grip, and then pushed her away to turn in frustration. A low growl was coming from his throat, and he paced a few times in front of her door. Running his hands through his hair, he regained composure.

"Yeah, no, that's fine. You're right, we should just go to bed" A severe look at her, and he turned to enter his room across the hall.

He paced in front of his bed a moment, trying to get himself under control. He had never been turned down before, but then again he had never had to try before. Maybe girls in the capital had weird rules about this sort of situation. Oddly, he felt up for a challenge. And she was right, he needed to try to get some sleep and focus on tomorrow. He threw his clothes on the floor in a pile and crawled into bed. The view of the capital suddenly seemed nice, and he let himself replay the events on the roof. Effie definitely liked him, had laid her head on his shoulder without any sort of prompt, and had let him kiss her. She had also seemed willing to make out with him, until what…what had he done to make her laugh? Maybe it was all too much for her in one night. Yes, he was sure that was what it was. His mind focused on her long nails stroking his inner thigh, intentionally turning him on. For the second night in a row, Haymitch satisfied himself to images of Effie Trinket.

Effie closed the door to her room, and slowly slid her robe off and onto the chair at her vanity. She sat down, and looked at her face in the mirror. She had kissed Haymitch Abernathy. Actually, he had kissed her, and she had let him. He'd clearly wanted more, and was frustrated when she'd stopped them from going further. The burning lust in his eyes set her body on fire, and she crossed quickly to her bed. Burying herself under the fluffy comforter, Effie couldn't believe her night. After all these years, it didn't seem real. All she knew, was that she couldn't wait to see him again tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: First off, I am so sorry its taken me like a month to update. Part of this is because my sister got in a very bad car wreck, so I was taking care of her and having to take her to appointments and such. I also work full time as a captioning assistant, meaning I sit at a computer for 8 hours a day with my carpal tonal wrists posed over the keyboard, so in all honesty, typing some more when I get off work is the last thing I want to do. But I hope that you guys are still here for the story, I have quite a bit left in store for Haymitch & Effie so please stay tuned! As always, thank you so much to all of you who have added this to your alerts, and I'd love it if you guys left a review to let me know if you like it (or even that you're still reading this story). Ok, enough talking, here's the next part =]

Chapter 5

Today was the start of training, which meant Effie was going to be busy. She and the other escorts had several meetings lined up, including one with the head gamemaker, which she was most excited for. Haymitch had a day filled with meetings as well, but his main purpose was to find out as much information about the other tributes from their mentors as possible. This was easier for him than he'd thought, since everyone else was eager to brag about their tributes. A hint of guilt ran through his veins at the thought of how little he'd paid attention to Shanna and Trent, but it passed quickly. Harley was in and out all day, distracted and too happy to be taking it seriously, leaving Haymitch to do most of the work. By the time dinner rolled around, Haymitch was actually really excited to find out how the tributes' day had gone. He was so busy listening to their stories that he barely glanced at Effie. Dessert was cleared away, and Effie disappeared with it. Haymitch didn't notice until the tributes were heading to their rooms, as he turned to look for her.

"Hey Harley, where'd our escort get to?" Harley took a long last swig of his drink and rocked back slightly on his heels.

"Oh, she's got a meeting early tomorrow with the gamemaker since he ran late today and had to reschedule. I guess she lives right around here, she said something about going to stay with her parents for the next couple of days"

The news cut right through his good mood and sent his stomach dropping. She was staying with her parents? Maybe training wasn't all that important to her role here as escort, but this seemed like an effort to avoid him. Had he misinterpreted what happened last night? He had spent the whole day looking forward to tonight, telling himself that she would be his reward for actually focusing on the tributes all day. Damn these capital girls and their games.

The expression on his face read clear through to Harley. "Haym, whatever you got going on with her…I need you to focus. People in the capital are very different from us. She is no doubt focusing on her job as escort, and you'll only be in her way." He surveyed Haymitch's face a moment, deciding if his message was getting through. "Don't get me wrong, I am very pleased to see you finally coming around to the ladies, you know I've been waiting for this too long" a soft chuckle escaped him, much too gentle for Haymitch's benefit. His strong hand clasped the younger man's shoulder, his head shaking slowly to himself. "Just remember who the enemy is".

Haymitch trudged back to his room, trying to decipher all the messages in that brief conversation. Harley was often openly sentimental with Haymitch back in the Victor Village, but this felt different. Deciding he felt irritated with the warning, Haymitch cast the conversation to the back of his brain and lay down in his bed.

0o0o0o0

The week flew by, the pressure escalating with each day's passing. It was finally the end of training, and the day the tributes were to be scored. Shanna had been far too chatty in training, barely visiting any of the workshops or building any skills. She was so enamored of Trent, all she did was flit around behind him or gossip with a few of the other tribute girls who were equally useless. Trent on the other hand was born to be a warrior. He excelled in most of the workshops, and had a real talent with knives that was curious to Haymitch.

The group were seated in the living area, gathered around the projector wall. The stylists were mostly perched on the edge of the couch, except for Shanna's main stylist, who was seated virtually in Shanna's lap, their hands clasped together in anticipation. Harley sat in the center of the couch, an avox standing directly behind him awaiting orders for drinks. Haymitch was seated surly at the end of the couch, slouched down as low as he could go with still being able to see over the drink resting on his belly. Just as the projector switched on to the announcers discussing pointless stories and speculations, Effie teetered into the room and sank onto the arm rest directly next to Haymitch. He glanced at her from the side of his eye, but she acted completely engrossed in the program.

Not surprisingly, the tributes from the first four districts received the best scores, as they had already banded together to be the super killers known as the careers. What was a surprise was that the four tributes from districts 10 and 11 all received higher scores that rivaled the careers. Outlying districts rarely garnered these kind of numbers, so it was something to watch out for. Shanna received only a four as her score, but Trent got a nine, something they could definitely work with. The group sat around talking until late in the night, when Effie finally sent the tributes to their room for the night. Everyone started to disperse, until it was just Harley, Haymitch, and Effie left in front of the projector. Highlights from past Games were playing, but no one was watching them. Swirling his empty glass in his hand, Harley stood up to leave. Just as he was about to leave the room, he turned around as if to say something, but instead winked at Haymitch.

Haymitch turned to look at the lovely creature perched on the couch next to him. She had relocated from his armrest to the space on his other side sometime after the scores had been announced, as she had excitedly been discussing theories with one of Trent's stylists. Haymitch had spent most of the night just observing everyone, listening to their point of view on the whole situation. But mostly watching Effie.

He had been thinking about her all week, curious about why she was staying away, what she had been thinking of as well. She sat so close to him, he could feel her body heat as she pressed against him time and time again as she talked. He wasn't sure it was intentional, but he had the feeling it might be. As the two sat side by side in the room, she turned her face to him, her makeup turning flaky from the long day. He reached out a hand absent-mindedly and brushed at her cheek.

"All that make up you wear is probably killing your skin you know" He had meant it innocently, but her face pinched into an offended scowl.

"My skin is just fine, thank you" She snapped, turning her face and nose to the ceiling.

"I just meant…you have such…God you're so beautiful, I don't know why you paint yourself up like this" He was leaning in toward her now, trying to get her to look at him. Her mouth popped open in surprise, and she slowly turned back to him, her eyes meeting his startling gray ones.

"You…you think I'm beautiful?"

"Yeah, I seen you that day without any makeup, remember? You look way better just like that"

Her hand ran through her thick pink curls, debating if he was more complimenting her appearance or insulting her fashion. She decided it was a compliment.

"So, you've been avoiding me all week…really needed some space, huh?" His face was open and honest, no smile adding meaning to his question. Effie sighed and scooted a little closer to him, disguising the action as though she were readjusting her skirt.

"Oh no, no, no. Not at all, I hope I didn't give you that impression. It's just that this is my first year, and I know I'm probably not going to get much rest once the Games start, and I thought it would be nice to stay home this week with my family where I could really focus" He continued to stare at her, unconvinced.

"Didn't you want to see me? I mean, damn Effie, I sure thought about you all week" He laughed as he turned away from her, a pink warmth growing on his cheeks.

"Actually, you crossed my mind quite often, Haymitch" She watched as he turned his eyes back to hers, and she reached out to grab his hand. He looked down at the tiny hand in his, his thumb caressing the back of her hand. She gave his hand a tiny squeeze. "Is the offer still standing to see the view from your room? I'm sure the capital will be having another street celebration that we could watch". His face lit up, and he pulled her to her feet. One arm quickly wrapped around her, drawing her up to him, and he bent his face down to kiss her. Reaching up, she ran her fingers through the hair at the base of his head, pleased when she heard him let out a low growl.

"You can see the view of whatever the hell you want in my room, lets get outta here" He rumbled into her ear, and sped off toward his room, their hands still clutched together. She struggled to keep up with him in her high heels, but adrenaline pushed her to stay to close behind. Once outside his room, he stared down at her and just grinned. She sweetly smiled up at him, again unsure what was going through his head. He pushed the door open, motioning for her to head in first.

His room was the exact mirror image of hers, only much darker and more masculine. The color scheme was a dark, metallic palette, mixed with deep wood. It fit him very much in her opinion. She slowly walked around the room, looking at each item, trying to think what exactly she was doing there. Facing the large wall of windows, she pressed one hand to the glass to steady herself as she looked down at the streets below. Although they were twelve stories up, the crowds filled the air with their cheering and celebrations. Haymitch silently came up behind her, one hand resting over the one on the window, his other gripping her hip.

"what do you think?" He said into her ear, his lips just breaths away. A shiver ran down her spine, sparking a warmth within her. She closed her eyes as she felt the hand on her hip start to wander. He traced her side up to her ribcage, then came to her front and pushed her back against him. Her hips instinctively pressed backwards against his, and she felt him let out a quick breath. Bringing his face down to her, he started to kiss along her jawline and neck. His hand traced along her ribcage to her other side, holding her in a hug-like embrace, before coming back to trace the underwire of her bra. Her eyes opened slightly, as he playfully pulled at it with one finger. The sneaky expression on his face turned her on so much, and she craned her neck up to him to try to kiss him. He turned his face away, his expression never changing save his eyes turning to meet hers. She felt herself melting into this moment, wanting to turn towards him, but felt his other hand still pinning her left arm to the window. His hand flicked the underwire once more, before moving up to her neck. His long fingers traced her collar bone and down to the small circle pendant she wore. Her chest had grown flushed with her excitement, and he grinned at the effect he was causing. Slipping his finger in the pendant like a ring, he slowly rolled his hand back and forth a few times, teasing her with the touch. She impatiently closed her eyes, just as his hand traced the curve of the top of her breasts. "You know, I'm beginning to think you have freckles all over" He smirked at her, finally releasing her left hand, allowing her to turn to face him. She leaned her back against the window, staring up at him. He looked so curious, so mischievous, she had to laugh.

"Oh is that right? And do District twelve boys find freckles appealing or appalling?" She joked, trying not to blush at the hand he had replaced back on her hip. He just grinned, sliding one finger into the band of her skirt, surprising her. As he snapped the elastic, Effie pulled his face down to hers. Grabbing her behind the legs, he pulled her up onto him, the kissing fast and fierce. She ran her fingers through his hair; he tried to suck on her neck roughly. Still holding her up, he walked over to his bed and gingerly lay her back onto it. She stared up at him a moment, hunger and lust visible in her face. She didn't realize the position she was laying in until she noticed Haymitch examining her. Crawling slowly toward her, he ran one hand up her leg, gently pushing her knees further apart. He cocked his head to the side, his mouth forming a slight oh. She tried to sit up and adjust herself but he gently pushed her shoulders back down, kissing her a moment before coming back to her legs. He rested one hand on each knee, then slowly started to stroke from her knee to her ankle and back up. One hand switched to circling her knee, then started to trail down her inner thigh. She started to pin her knees back together and laughed nervously.

"Haymitch…" She said quietly, and he stopped to peer around at her. She was bright red and looked almost startled. His other hand gripped her knee kindly.

"You ok? Want me to stop" He said gently, leaning between her legs to give her a sweet kiss. His heat and pressure on top of her was surprisingly comfortable, and she nodded at him to continue. Grabbing his face in her hands, she gave him a long, hard kiss, pinning his sides with her knees. He grinned into the kiss, and kissed back harder. One hand traveled up her side, untucking her blouse from her skirt and tracing the soft skin it exposed. She gasped slightly at his touch, which brought a smile to his lips. He kissed her once more before kneeling back. Grabbing the hem of her shirt, he slowly rolled it up to her head where she helped him take it off. She gulped as he sat back and stared at her. "Pink lace, I should have known" he laughed quietly, and she playfully punched him. Coming back down towards her, he kissed her deeply and came to lay on top of her. Suddenly he rolled them over so that she sat on top of him. He adjusted his hips under her, bucking her up slightly.

"Oh yeah, I can get used to this" he said, raising his eyebrows at her and bouncing her again. Laughing, she gripped onto his shirt. She tugged at the shirt clumsily a few times, then sat back, waiting for him to take it off. He obeyed, and lay back to smile up at her. "Come here" he growled at her, and she lay down across his chest to kiss him.

Laying in this position, she could feel him growing harder by the minute. She moved her hips slightly to adjust and felt him groan. Biting his lip, she did it again and again intentionally. He closed his eyes and dug his fingers into her hips, commanding her to continue. Feeling like things were moving too fast, Effie carefully climbed off of him and curled up next to him, her head on his chest. He groaned and rubbed himself slightly, but wrapped his arm around her. Kissing the top of her head, he asked "too much for tonight?" She nodded and smiled shyly up at him, the hand on his chest tracing his muscles slightly. "That's ok, that's ok. Damn you know how to hurt a guy" He laughed, but rubbed her back reassuringly.

A few moments passed this way, both just laying quietly and listening to the crowds below. Haymitch glanced down at her, and felt the urge to just push her a little further. Rolling her onto her back, he leaned over her and kissed her long and hard. She kissed back, her knee that wasn't trapped below him coming up to meet his side. He traced her side again, slow enough to create a wave of goosebumps to follow his fingers. He came up along her ribs, over the center of her bra, and swiftly into the cup. Her eyes popped open and she paused the kissing a moment as his hand held her breast, his sleepy eyes watching her intently. He kissed her gently, and then turned his face down to what he was doing. He squeezed her breast slightly, feeling the weight of it, and then brought his hand to her shoulder. He stroked her shoulder, her collar bone, her neck, and then slowly slid the strap off of her shoulder. She lay quiet, nervously waiting for him to do what she knew was coming. He kissed her a moment more, his hand rubbing her upper arm warmly, sneakily moving the bra to fall further on its own. She took in a deep breath as he left her lips once more to turn to what he was doing. His hand moved down to the loosened cup, and slid it down, exposing her breast entirely. He stared at her a moment, heavy lids scanning her skin, before his hand came to trace the bottom curve. He gently cupped it once more, then ran his thumb over the nipple. Repeating this motion a few times, it became hard, and he grinned back to her. She lay there, unsure of what he was thinking, if that smile was laughing at her. He straddled her and kissed her sweetly, his hand releasing the other side of her bra as well. Pausing a moment, he leaned back to pull the other cup down, exposing her entire chest. He just stared at her a full minute, not saying anything. Cupping a breast in each hand, his face cracked into a huge grin.

Effie still didn't know what he was thinking, and it was starting to bug her. She'd always been small chested, and she had been pretty insecure about it the past few years. And here she lay in bed with Haymitch Abernathy, the one guy she really cared about, and he was just laughing to himself about her bare chest. As if reading her mind, he bent down to kiss her hard and growled "God you are so beautiful" and roughly wrapped his arms around her. She melted into this embrace, casting aside her insecurities and enjoying all the new sensations coursing through her.

The kissing had become very aggressive, and Effie couldn't avoid the sense of urgency coming from Haymitch. She pushed him away and leaned back on the pillows, wiping her mouth.

"You ok?" He asked, panting heavily.

"Haymitch, I…ugh, this is really hard to say. I um, I think we need to stop. For now" She stared at him, scared of how he would react. He searched her eyes a minute, then rolled off of her, growling.

"yeah, no, I understand." He was shamelessly rubbing himself and running his other hand through his hair at the same time. Adjusting her bra backup, she looked around the bed for her shirt. Finding it, she through it back on quickly.

"Sorry about this, I just think…I still kind of can't believe this is happening"

"You're telling me. Damn, you are so much better than I even imagined" He gave himself one last tug and then rolled onto his side to look at her. "Go on, its ok, I'll walk you to your room" Hobbling a little as she got off the bed, Effie straightened herself up and cautiously peered out into the hallway. No one was around so she darted across to her room. Haymitch strolled casually across to stand behind her as she unlocked the door, his hand coming to rest on her waist. She pushed the door open slightly, then turned to face him. He was so handsome with his sleepy, confident smile, she wondered what exactly she was doing right then. Bouncing on her toes, she pulled him into a goodnight kiss. His hand boldly traveled down to her ass, gripping her hard and almost lifting her up. She released the kiss to look up at him, seeing his pleased smile.

"Goodnight Haymitch, I'll see you tomorrow" She said, trying to back into her room. Giving her one last squeeze, Haymitch nodded and backed away.

"Goodnight miss Trinket, thanks for giving me something to really think about tonight" He grinned, and marched back to his room.

Effie turned quickly to her room, shut the door, and climbed into bed completely dressed. So stunned by the night, she fell asleep in full makeup and didn't care.

A/N: Ok, so thank you to any one still reading this, please leave me a review just to let me know you're there and that I should keep updating this


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